Sewed-warp fabric.



- Q/wvenor. M26' 64%7 J. W. HYATT.

SEWED WAHP FABRIC.

(Application med Mr. 1'1, 1901'. Renewed Miu'. 27, 1 902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

J OIjIN W. HYATT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SEWED-WARP FABRIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,898, dated October21, 1902. Application filed March 11. 1901. Renewed March 27, 1902.Serial No. 100,177. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. HYATT, a citizen of the United States,residing at No. 141 Commerce street, Newark, county of Essex, State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSewed-Warp Fabrics, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a novel fabric inwhich a layer of warp-threads is united by stitching-threads in asewing-machine. Such fabric forms a continuous iiat band adapted formany uses, as ribbons,neckties,drivingfbelts for machinery, rugs, dto.In the manufacture of this fabric a series of warp-threads is drawn fromsuitable spools and led through a guide to form a layer across theneedle-bed of a sewing-machine and a row of needles is provided withstitching-th reads and operated to form zigzag stitches upon the surfaceof the layer, so as to connect the warp-threads together laterally. Theseveral stitching-threads are conveniently connected together upon theunder side of the fabric by a continuous lock-thread eX- tended back andforth across the Vwidth of the layer and passed through all the loops ofthe stitching-threads. The engagement of the lock-thread with thestitching-threads at opposite edges of the layer serves to fold thestitching-threads over the edges of the band and form a strong and evenselvage. The loop of the lock-thread which is carried by the forward endof the looper is readily engaged with the stitching-thread at the outeredge of the fabric by means :of a shuttle worked transverse to thethickness of the fabric. To make zigzag stitches, the needles arepreferably mounted upon a reciprocating or vibrating carrier, and wherethe carrier is reciprocated a distance equal to the space between theneedles the warp threads are formed into parallel strands each equal inwidth to such space and the stitching-thread of each needle is carriedback and forth over the top of the same strand. With such a movement ofthe needles the strands are connected together only by the transverselocking-threads upon the under side of the fabric, as none of thestitching-threads extend from the body of one strand into the body ofanother strand. By doubling the stroke of the l needle-carrier eachneedle-thread is carried back and forth over two of the strands, thuslocking them together laterally, while the alternate needles upon theneedle-carrier lock different pairs of the strands together, so that thewhole is firmly united independent of-the locking-threads. Otherproportions of the stroke to the distance between the needles may bemade, and the disposition of the stitches upon the surface and thegrouping of the warpthreads into strands may be correspondinglymodified. While the needles are in the fabric the feed mechanism isreversed and the warp pulled slightly backward, which operates like thelay in a loom to beat the stitches closely together, and the successiverows of stitchingthreads are thus pressed firmly into contact with oneanother and serve to cover the entire surface of the fabric with thestitchingthreads. Thefabricproduced bysewingwith a gang of needlesoperating across the entire width of the fabric cau be produced withmuch greater rapidity and cheapness than by Weaving, as the needlestravel only a very short distance compared with the movement v of ashuttle, which is-thrown across the entire width of the fabric.

In making a fabric by my invention the stitchingthreads may whenarranged to wholly cover the Warp be made of an entirely-different classof material (as silk or worsted) from the warp-threads, which may bemade of cotton, jute, or any cheap bers possessing the requiredstrength. A ribbon or necktie having an entire silk surface and a cottonwarp may be produced by my invention, or a rug having an all-woolsurface and a jute warp may be produced, thus forming an ornamental andvaluable article at very cheap cost. By supplying different needles orgroups of needles (upon the needlecarrier) with threads of differentcolors or material bands and stripes or blocks of various breadths maybe formed upon the surface of the fabric and the latter thus ornamentedin a considerable degree.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings,in which- Figure l represents the face of a band having the zigzagstitches formed upon its surface without crowding and thestitchingstitching-threads carried across two of the warp-strands, thusbringing the stitchingloops in continuous rows. outer edge of the bandwith the loops of the lock-threads and stitching-threads united by ashuttle-thread. Fig. 5 shows the inner edge of the band where thelock-threads are engaged directly with the loops of thestitching-threads. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the band through one rowof `the stitches; and Fig. 7 shows the under side of a band with thestitches carried across one and a half of the warp-strands, thus makingtwo rows of the stitching-loops upon the under side of the fabric. Fig.8 is a cross-section, and Fig. 9 a perspective View, both ofdiagrammatic character, showing the operation of stitching the fabric.Fig. l0 is a cross-section, and Fig. l1 a short piece, of a hand treatedwith belt-stuffing or waterproof coating; and Fig. l2 is a View upon agreatly-reduced scale 0f a' rug of such fabric.

In Figs. S and 9 g designates the warpthreads, which serve to form thestrands b shown in the other figures. c designatesthe stitching-threads,which operate where carried through the fabric to produce'loops d, allof which are engaged and secured by lockthreads e.

To explain the nature of the fabric more clearly, I have shown in Figs.8 and 9 a part of the means for constructing such fabric. In Fig. 9 thewarp threads g are carried through a guide-platej and thence across theneedle bed f underneath a foot a, and the stitches are formed by a rowof needles h, which are shown in Fig. 8 notched upon the front side topermit the looper i to move past` their faces and carry the lock threade through the loops d. The warp-threads are delivered to theguide-platej under tension and are kept stretched across the needle-bedby feed-rolls o, which are rotated after each reciprocation of theneedles to feed the warp forward. The foot a has gages at the ends todetermine the width of the layer of warpthreads, and the endneedles inthe row pass alternately outside each edge of the layer to loop thestitching-threads over the edge of the band to form a selvage. Theneedles are shown in Fig. 8 attached to a carrier la, which can hevibrated upon the vertically-reciproeating needle-bar Z to form thezigzag stitches in the usual manner. The needle-threads are carried overthe top of the foot aand undera guidebar,which is shown only in Fig. 8.This guide-bar is omitted from Fig. 9, as it forms no part of thepresent invention.

Fig. 4 shows the continuous kthe closed loop at theou'ter end of thelock-thread cannot beengaged directly with the closed loop d of thestitching-thread, and a shuttle-thread fn. (see Figs. 3 and 7) istherefore used to join such closed loops, the shuttle in practice beingreciprocated transversely at the edge of the fabric through the loop ofthe lock-thread beyond its engagement with the last of thestitching-thread loops.

The shifting of the needles in forming the zigzag stitches pierces thelayer of warpthreads at regular points in its breadth and operates todivideit into the warp-strands b. (Shown in Fig. 6.)

The warp strands are separated by the rows of loops d, which are carriedthrough the layer by the needles, and where the vibration of the carrieris a multiple of the space between lthe needles the loops form straightlines upon the under side of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 3, as eachneedle when shifted passes through the fabric upon the same line as somepreceding needle. Figs. 2, 3, and 6 show the stitching-threads c thuscarried across two of the warp-strands h by a vibration of theneedle-carrier twice as great as the space between the needles, whichbrings the rows of loops d in straight lines upon the under side of thefabric. It may be assumed that Fig. 7 shows the loops d one-quarter ofan inch apart in the rows transverse to the band, and such assumptionwould indicate a space of one-quarter of an inch between the needlesupon their carrier; but the vibration of the carrier is such that thestitching-threads cross one of the loopstrands h and penetrate thecenter of the next one, the path of the needle over the surface of thefabric being indicated by the zigzag dotted line s. Such vibration withneedles spaced one-quarter inch apart would need to be three-eighths ofan inch, and other such vibrations are obviously possible. Threevariations in the appearance of the stitches are thus shown in Figs. 1,2, and 7, and others may obviously be formed with the same means. Bymaking the feed long enough the zigzagstitching threads may be spreadapart upon the surface of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 1, and thestitching-threads correspondingly inclined; but the stitches may be laidquite close together by suitably diminishing the feed and still closertogether by a reverse movement of the feed-rolls o while the needles arein the fabric. This causes the tension of the warp-threads to draw thepreceding rows of stitches firmly against the row last formed, and thuscrowd or beat the rows of stitches close together, as shown in Fig. 2.As only the alternate loops of the stitchingthreads cross the edge ofthe fabric to form the selvage, as shown in Fig. 2, they are free tospread laterally, and thus in practice operate to fully cover andconceal the warpstrands at the edge. As the lock-thread is continuousand is vibrated back and forth IOO IIO

across the under side of the fabric and locked in the selvage at bothedges of the same, it is obvious that the fabric cannot be raveled whencut transversely, as the lock-thread, which is secured at both edges ofthe fabric, engages all the loops of the stitching-threads intermediateto both edges. Fig. 12 shows a rug made by such process having a widthequal to that of the row of needles upon the needle-carrier and anylength that may be cut from the web produced. The ends of the rug areshown formed of the frayed strands b, and five patches of lighter colorare shown upon the surface of the rug, which would be formed bysupplying the needles traversing such portion of the fabric withlighter-colored thread for a sucient length of time to produce theblocks or patches shown, the lightcolored thread being then removed fromsuch needles and the same colored thread supplied that is used for thebody of the stitching.

Owing to the longitudinal disposition of the strands b, the fabric makesa very strong and efficient belt for driving machinery. The bers of suchbelt may be compacted by treatment with any suitable belt-stuffing whichwill leave the belt pliable. The surface of the belt is thenwaterproofed by any of the wellknown belt-dressings which have anelastic and adhesive character, and the belt then presents acomparatively smooth surface, as shown'in Figs. l0 and 1l. In this beltthe longitudinal strands sustain the pulling strain, While thetransverse stitching-threads furnish a strong grip for the belt-hooks,fasteners, or lacings where they are applied to join the ends of thebelt. I have foundby experience that such stitching of the longitudinalstrands together enables the fasteners to make a durable and strongjoint, which is absolutely required in a driving-belt. I have claimedsuch a belt as a specific form of my invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein isl. A fabric comprising` a continuous layer of longitudinalwarp-threads, longitudinal rows of stitching-threads having series ofstitches disposed transversely to such warpthreads and having loopsextended through the layer, and a continuous lock-thread extended backand forth across the Width of the layer and engaged with all the loopsof the stitching-threads.

2. A fabric comprising a continuous layer of longitudinal warp-threads,longitudinal rowsof stitching-threads having series of stitches disposedtransversely to the Warpthreads and having corresponding series of loopsextended through the layer, and a continuous lock-thread extended backand forth across the width of the layer to engage all the loops of thestitching-threads, and the stitching-threads looped over ,the edges ofthe layer and engaged with the loops of such lockthreads to form aselvage thereon.

3. A fabric comprising a layer of longitudinal warp-threads, series ofstitching-threads disposed transversely to the Warp-threads and havingloops extended in rows through the layer, and a continuous lock-threadextended back and forth across the width of the layer to engage all theloops of the stitching-threads excepting the last, and such last loopbeing engaged with the loop of the lock-thread by a separateshuttle-thread, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A fabric comprising a continuous layer of longitudinal Warpthreads,longitudinal rows of stitching-threads which form strands of thewarp-threads, the stitching-threads being zigzagged or vibratedtransversely to the warp thread and having' loops extended through thelayer, a continuous lock-thread extended back and forth across the widthof the layer and engaged with all the loops of the stitching-threads,and the lateral extension or zigzag motion of such stitching-threadsbeing a multiple of the breadth of a single strand, substantially asherein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. HYATT.

Witnesses:

THOMAs S. CRANE, L. LEE.

